The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-03-11

three o'clock in the afternoon, some
thirteen or fourteen people from Mats,
armed with two guns and some swords,
resolved to cross the river and go to the
Dhyde Bazaar. They had just arrived
at . place where the bank was high and
prccipitous and the water deep, and
seeing no signs Of the elephant, were
wondering where he had gone to, when
one of their number, who had Jagged
behind. called to them to run, as the
elephant WAS upon them. They faced
around. and seeing the savage beast
coming at them with his ears back, they
jumped into the water close under the
bank and held on to the long grass
overhanging the edge of the stream to
keep their heads above water. The ele-
plant came upland stretched his trunk
over the water.as if in search of his VIC
Tins, when one of the party struck out in
the stream and began to swim across.
Immediately the elephant saw him. he
moved quickly down stream to a place
where the bank was sloping. and slid
ing into the water, started in pursuit.
The man got across the stream into a
dry watercourse, in which, a few PAGES
from the water, there was perpendicu-
lar ascent of about five feet. Up this
he scrambled. and had just managed
to get a few feet upa tree. when the
elephant came up. and. breasting the
perpendicular bank, stretched out his
trunk to lay hold of the man. Luck
lily. he was just out of reach, and he
lost no time getting up higher. Being
unable either to reach the man or to
get up the steep bank, the elephant
walked short distance down stream,
and getting up the rivers bank in an
other place, came up to the south side
of the tree. Stretching out his
trunk, and failing to get
hold of the man, he tore down
some branches; and making another
circuit. came up to the tree from the
east. Again the fierce animal failed to
reach the man; and again he made Il
circuit in the jungle, and came up to
the tree from the north side. where,
| again failing in his purpose, he broke
down some branches, and after stand
ing about for short time, moved
slowly away into the jungles. 1t was
dark before the man ventured to de-
scend the tree. In the meantime the
remainder of the people hiding under
the bank had climbed up and run off
to the village. leaving one gun and
some swords ut the bottom of the river.
About the time the elephant had at
tackled the man, a rumor reached the
bazaar at Dhyde that the elephant was
coming. The effect was instantaneous
and magical. A regular stampede COM
menced. the people there assembled OH
the weekly market day. scampering off
in every direction, some leaving their
property behind. others leaving their
own and taking that belonging to their
neighbours. and few taking both their
own and that of their neighbors. The
scene is described by those who wit
messed it as something never to be for
gotten!
On the forenoon of the 9th of Novem-
Der, the deputy commissioner with his
party, which had now been augmented
by the arrival of the superintendent
of police of the Balaghat district, ar
rived at place called Kosmara,
where the elephant had been
last seen. They were now hot
on his track, and the chase became ex-
citing. 1t was decided that their best
plan was to surprise the animal at mid
day. when he would be either asleep or
in the water. They halted outside the
jungle, and dismounting. sent back all
the superfluous men, keeping only
their spare gun carriers. the party of
Bygas, two men armed with police
muskets. two men leading five dogs and
a she elephant belonging to the zcmin-
dar Qandhoider) of Hatta. Then they
moved off in perfect silence, two of the
Bygas following up the trail in front,
while the remainder stayed with the
main body, and expecting every mo-
rent to hear the trumpet of the
savage beast and the crash of his I'M
wieldy bulk through the brushwood.
After they had proceeded for about a
mile in this fashion. the Bygas in front
suddenly stopped short on the bank of
a dry stream, and pointing to the front
with their spears. exclaimed in wh;s-
per: There he is!',' And there he was
sure enough, lying at a distance of
about thirty-five yards in front
of them, asleep in the long
grass. over which they could see
the immense arch Of his left ribs and
n small portion of the spine. Not be-
ing able TO get a good shot from where
they stood. they moved few PAGES to
their left. The slight noise made in
doing SO aroused the animal, and he
raised himself, as if to listen. showing
above the grass the top of his head as
far as the ear and just above the eye.
They Immediately raised their rifles
and fired, and the creature disappeared
for a second. but was seen the next
moment. and saluted with another shot
as he went up the opposite bank Of the
nullah. He then disappeared in the
jungle, but was found *wO hundred
yards further on, standing under a
mohwG tree. Two more shots started
him off again, and there was hot chase |
after him for about fifteen hundred
yards. a brisk independent fire be-
ing opened upbn him whenever he
showed himself. At last, just as
they went down into nullah,